What Is The Best Height To Cut My Grass? Why?

When it comes to cutting your grass do you know the proper height it should be cut? Caring for your garden can be a lot more complicated that it seems it would be on paper. You have to keep on top of raking leaves in fall, make sure pests and weeds aren’t taking over, make sure you aerate your lawn once a year. The list goes on and on.

Additionally, if you want your lawn to stay fresh and healthy looking year round, you also have to make sure that you mow your grass to its ideal height.

If you don’t know what you are doing, all of this can quickly seem overwhelming. Here at Grasshopper Lawns, we’re passionate about lawn care, so we’re here to help. Read below to get the lowdown on what height you should be cutting your grass to:

Why is grass height important?

First of all, let’s consider why you should even bother making sure you grass is cut to an ideal length. Ensuring your grass is cut to the correct length ensures that your lawn will be as low maintenance to upkeep as possible, as it can help encourage your chosen grass type while discouraging weeds from doing the same.

How high should you cut your grass?

While the exact height you should cut your grass will vary depending on the specific grass type you have, but there are some general rules you can follow that will keep most lawns in top shape.

If you have cool season grass, such as Kentucky Bluegrass or Perennial Ryegrass, you should aim to cut your grass to a length of roughly 2 and a half to 4 inches. Cool season grass grows mostly in spring and fall so this is when you will be mowing most often.

If you have warm season grass, such as St. Augustine grass or Switchgrass, your lawn height should be maintained between 1 and a half and 3 inches. Additionally, you will be doing most of your mowing in summer as this is when warm season grass grows most.

Other factors to bear in mind when mowing your grass:

During peak growing periods, mow your grass roughly once a week.

If your grass is often in the shade, then you should aim to leave it a little bit higher than the rest of your lawn.

You can always benefit from being as specific as possible, as the optimum height for your specific grass variety may be slightly different than similar types. To get the best results, check the optimum height for your specific lawn grass.

If the area you live in is going through a period of drought, then you should aim to cut your grass slightly higher than you normally would, as this places less stress on your lawn. Additionally, if you are experiencing a high volume of rainfall, also mow slightly higher than usual.

If your Scranton lawn is looking like it needs a little bit of extra TLC, visit Grasshopper Lawns and check out our full range of services today!